Clasp or fastener.



PATENTED JULY 26,- 1904.

H. J. GAISMAN. CLASP 0R FASTENBR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1904.

H0 MODEL.

Patented July 26, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE.

HENRY J. GAISMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CLASP OR FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 765,665, dated July 26,1904.

Application filed March 10, 1904.

To @LZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. GArsMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing in New York city, borough of Manhattan, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps or Fasteners, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the class of clasps orfasteners which have a frame provided with two substantially `parallelmembers or leaves united at one end and open at the other end to receivean article between them, with a spring interposed between said membersand a lever carried by one member to operate said spring; and the objectof my invention is to improve the construction of such fasteners, to theend that the spring may be firmly held within the frame, the lever besecurely pivotally supported, and the side edges of the fasteners havenished edges, combining lightness with strength.

In carrying out my invention I provide a blank of suitable length andwider than the finished clasp and fold its longitudinally-extendingedges, the spring being placed upon the blank so that certain of itsedges will be held by the folded edges of the blank and then fold theblank and the spring into substantially U form, whereby the spring willbe securely held within the loop of the fastener, the lever beingapplied, preferably, before the blank is folded toits final position.

The invention also comprises the novel details of improvement, that willbe more fully hereinafter set forth, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart hereof,wherein- Figure l is a face View of a clasp embodying my invention. Fig.2 is a section thereof on the line 2 2 in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a similarview showing the lever closed. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4 4in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5 5 in Fig. 2.Fig. 6 is a cross-section on the line 6 6 in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a detailview of the blank having the spring applied and the edges folded allready to be bent to final position. Figs. 8

and 9 are detail views of the spring and blank, l respectively. Fig. l0is a detail section on Serial No. 197,575. (No model.)

the line l0 l() in Fig. 9, and Fig. 11 is a perspective View of theoperating lever or handle.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in theseveral views.

The completed clasp or fastener is represented generally at l andcomprises a frame having main members 1a 1b, united at one end, as atle, and open at the opposite end to receive the article to be clasped.As shown, the parts la lh 1c are in a single piece of material bent toshape.

Within the opening or loop of the clasp is a spring 2, shown ofsubstantially U form and open at one end substantially corresponding tothe interior of the frame, the parts of the spring lying substantiallyin contact with the inner walls thereof.

In forming the clasp I take a strip or blank of suitable metal of aboutthe desired length and wider than the finished article is to be and foldthe longitudinally-extending edges thereof inwardly toward each other,as indicated at 3, and then bend the blank into substantially U form, asindicated in Figs. -2 and 3. The folded parts 3 are caused to bear uponone end portion of-spring 2, and so that said spring may be free to bendat the opposite end When secured within the frame .1 said spring isprovided with extensions 2, preferably on opposite sides, and preferablybefore the parts 3 are pressed firmly against the main parts of theblank the spring 2 is laid in position upon the blank, and the parts 3are then pressed upon the extendedl portions 2 of the spring, (see Fig.7,) and then the blank with its spring so attached are bent to thedesired final position or substantially in U form. The

` spring at one part is thereby Securely attached to member 1 and theother part is free to vibrate, as indicated in Fig. 4, as it is narrowerthan the space between the inner edges of parts 3. Prongs 4 5 on thespring may be made by striking up portions of the metal of the spring tomore readily assist in gripping an article. At the open end of frame lthe member 1b is shown bent inwardly, as at 1d, by striking up the metalof the blank, which acts as an abutment against which the end of thespring bears to prevent the spring from being pulled through the openend of the frame, as shown IOO in Figs. 2, 3, and l0. The parts 3 and ldthereby securely hold the spring from lateral and longitudinal movement,the back wall 1C of the frame preventing the spring from dislodgmentrearwardly.

At 6 is indicated a lever or handle shown provided with a member 6a tobe operated and a member 6b, that is adapted to extend through a slot 7in frame l, so as to bear upon spring 2 to operate the latter. Themember 6 is provided with pivots or gudgeons 6',-

which are journaled between struck-up bearing portions 8 on member l andthe corresponding folded -under portions 3 of said member, as indicatedin Fig. 6. By this means the lever is pivotally supported upon member lnof the frame and .is prevented from being pushed outwardly through slot7 by spring 4 by the bent portions 8 and from being pushed inwardlytoward said spring by the folded under portions 3 of the frame. Thus thelever is free to swing back and forth, so that when in the positionshown in Fig. 2 the spring 4 will open to receive an article between itsmembers and will hold the lever in the position shown, and when thelever is pressed down to the position shownin Fig. 3 its member 6b willpush-the` free portion of spring 4 toward lthe article inserted betweenthe members of the frame.

The invention is not limited to the particular details of constructionshown, as the same may be-varied Without departing from the spiritthereof.

Having now described my invention, what I'cla-im isH l. A clasp of thecharacter described comprising a strip having itsside edges foldedinwardly and bent into substantially U form, providing a frame having anopen end, a spring having side extensions upon which folded portions ofthe frame bear, a portion of said spring being free to vibrate betweenthe folded portions of the frame, and means for operating said spring,substantially as described.

2. A clasp of the character described comprising a strip, having itsside edges folded inwardly and bent into substantially U form providinga frame having an open end, a spring having portions clamped by saidfolded portions of the strip and located between the members ofsaidframe, said strip having a portion bent inwardly at one end lying infront of one end of the spring and means to operate said spring,substantially as described.

3. A clasp of the character described comprising a substantiallyU-shaped frame having its side edges folded inwardly and oneinwardly-bent transverse edge, and having one end open to receive anarticle between its substantiallyT parallel members, a spring havingextended portions clamped by the corresponding folded portions of theframe and its end abutting the bent end portion of the frame, saidspring being bent within said frame and having one end free to vibrate,and a lever carried by said frame adapted to operate said spring,substantially as described.

4. A clasp comprising a substantially U- shaped frame having one endopen and a spring' secured within said frame, and a lever ha-ving itspivotal support located between one member of the frame and folded overportions of the frame, said lever having a portion adapted to bear uponsaid spring to operate the same, vsubstantially as described.

HENRY J. GAISMAN.

Witnesses:

T. F. BoURNE, M. HOLLINGSHEAD.

